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 Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining | June 2006 
Viviendo en México
 Korah Winn
One of the fun things I have done here in Guadalajara is to join a cooking class. I did not really plan on doing something like that before I came but I just kind of fell into it by chance.
I am awfully glad I did because I really underestimated what a difference there is between just following a recipe by yourself and actually being with someone who takes you through the steps.
While I was growing up, I took for granted all that I was learning by helping out Mom and Grandma in the kitchen. I thought I was just being used as slave labor to peel scads of potatoes, but I was actually learning how to make fantastic mashed potatoes.
By getting into the mix and working in the kitchen hands-on, I was getting an apprenticeship on how to do things like cut melons the right way and boil eggs. It was not until I moved out of my home that I realized that not all the girls I grew up with got the same experiences I did. Some of them are afraid of cooking; others flat out do not like it.
I did not know how little I knew about Mexican cooking though until I stepped into the kitchen with Estela and Marta. Each week, we would meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the small class would begin finding out how to make dishes that before then, we'd only tasted in restaurants.
We would normally start out with some sort of appetizer. The first week we had totopos (tortilla chips) with salsa mexicana or guacamole. Salsa mexicana is delicious and is served very fresh and very often at many taco stands.
It is red, white and green and is considered one of the more patriotic dishes because it is the color of Mexico's bandera (flag.) I learned that it is best to dice Roma tomatoes because they tend to have less liquid in them.
You can soak the cebolla (onion) in lime before adding it to the mixture and it gives it a fantastic flavor. The last thing you add is chopped up cilantro. I was floored at how you can really zest up a meal by adding this simple combination to anything from tacos to atún (tuna.)
In class, we would make fresh fruit drinks called agua fresca. These are very common in Mexico. In addition to fruit drinks, they sometimes make a rice, cinnamon drink called Horchata.
Agua Jamaica is a deep red drink that is also very popular. To make fresh fruit drinks, you begin by taking fruit like mangos, oranges or strawberries and you throw it in the blender. After it is completely mixed, you add as much water and azúcar (sugar) as you desire. It reminds me of Kool-Aid except with fresh fruit.
For the main meal we would cook things like albóndigas (meatballs) with vegetables inside of them, chilaquiles, empanadas or even mole poblano. Each day I went I looked forward to finding out how to make all these delicious foods.
And of course, we learned how to make tortillas by hand. Usually in Mexico, you will find more tortillas made of maiz (corn) rather than harina (flour.) I have to say, the tortillas in Mexico taste unbelievably terrific because they are made fresh and served hot with the meals.
I am spoiled now. When I come home I am going to be looking for a tortillería (tortilla making store) immediately so that I can feed my need for fresh maiz tortillas. |
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